The Wyoming Public Service Commission is holding a special meeting to get feedback from the public on coal-fired power plants and that will be held at the Kemmerer Event Center January 28 from 4 PM to as late as 7 PM.

“The Public Service commission is looking for official public feedback that can go on the record,” Kemmerer City Administrator Brian Muir said. “To help our consumers and are economy really.”

Rocky Mountain Power says it will be closing Naughton Units 1 and 2 in 2025. Unit 3 will be converted to natural gas and then will be shut down in 2029. Muir says the Public Service Commission is trying to set up some rules to help sell those power plants. This is to help make it go well for the buyer and the consumer.

“I am excited to give my input,” Muir said. “I’d encourage everyone, this is an opportunity to make your voice heard and it’s an opportunity to talk about the benefits to our coal-fired power plants.

“As I’ve said before, there’s lots of technology available… and they can make these viable for longer terms if we just find the right investors.”

Muir says he has done a lot of studying on energy and he has some real concerns with Rocky Mountain Power’s plan moving forward to introduce windmills and such. He believes it will be very costly to the community in terms of higher rates. He says the technology of the battery power storage is still in its infant stages.

“We’re very concerned also what it’s going to do for our tax base and our ,” Muir said. “We’ve already felt the effects of losing coal revenue in our state on state revenues which affects our schools.”

He believes more research needs to be done to make coal-fired power plants cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable. He says for this reason he believes the community really should let their opinions be heard.

“We really need your voices,” Muir said. “It means a lot to southwest Wyoming along with all of Wyoming and the future of our education, regular education and higher education. It’s really important.”